Journal of Physician Assistant Education最新文献

Abstract: Effective communication in health care education is essential for creating an inclusive learning environment. This manuscript examines the crucial role of communication in physician assistant/associate (PA) education, particularly in the context of neurodiverse individuals, who constitute approximately 20% of the global population. A groundbreaking study by Nouri et al reveals a 3.1% overall disability prevalence among US practicing physicians, emphasizing the necessity for a comprehensive understanding of diversity in the health care profession. Considering the intersectionality of marginalized identities, this research sheds light on potential challenges health care providers face, underscoring the importance of promoting inclusivity and support for neurodiverse individuals in the PA profession. The increasing presence of neurodivergent students in postsecondary institutions, despite academic strengths, holds relevance for PA education. Recognizing the barriers and stigmas associated with neurodiversity is crucial for fostering inclusive environments within PA programs and sponsoring institutions. This manuscript explores the challenges faced by neurodiverse individuals in PA education and proposes strategies for cultivating a neuroinclusive culture through effective communication. With a focus on celebrating and using the strengths of all learners, regardless of neurodiversity, the overarching goal is to contribute to a paradigm shift in PA education, enriching the educational experience for students, educators, and support staff.

Purpose: This study examines physician assistant (PA) student perceived benefit of active vs. passive studying strategies for learning and retaining physiology and pathophysiology content knowledge. Identifying beneficial studying strategies is crucial to building a strong content knowledge foundation to support PA students' clinical rotations.

Methods: Three cohorts of PA students (n = 64) were anonymously surveyed regarding perceived benefit of studying strategies for learning and retention of physiology and pathophysiology content knowledge. Students also ranked strategies from most to least beneficial.

Results: Strategies were identified during survey development pilot study as either active or passive. Physician assistant students rated the active strategies perceived benefit mean as significantly greater than the passive strategies mean for both the learning (t(61) = 9.24, P < .001, d = 1.38) and retention (t(58) = 8.19, P < .001, d = 1.21) conditions.

Conclusion: This study provides evidence that PA students perceive active studying strategies to be more beneficial than passive strategies for acquiring physiology and pathophysiology content and retaining it into the clinical year.

Purpose: The primary aim of this study was the examination of relationships between students' preadmission achievement, intraphysician assistant (PA) program achievement, and Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination (PANCE) performance using path analysis regression. Second, this study explored the extent to which the theoretical model differed based on several key demographic variables: sex and undergraduate major.

Methods: This retrospective, single-institution study examined data from 2015 to 2022 (n = 322). Analysis included descriptive statistics, bivariate correlations, and path analysis using structural equation modeling to examine direct, indirect, and total effects of all predictors on the primary outcome variable, PANCE.

Results: PACKRAT-I demonstrated the largest total effect size on PANCE total score (β = .45). Total effect size on PANCE was small yet significant for prerequisite grade point average (GPA), Graduate Record Exam verbal and quantitative subscores, a comprehensive didactic cardiology examination, didactic and clinical year GPAs, and End of Rotation examination mean score (β < .25). The relationship between mean preceptor evaluation score and PANCE was nonsignificant. Subgroup analyses showed differences between female and male in the relationship between several didactic variables and preceptor evaluations. No differences were detected between groups based on undergraduate major.

Conclusion: This PANCE analysis revealed relationships among pre-PA and intra-PA performance metrics that may subsequently support data-informed strategies for programs to identify at-risk students, aid student success, and support the assessment of curriculum. Future studies should replicate the approach using a larger, multi-institution sample that examines additional preprogram and intraprogram achievement variables.

Purpose: The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has profoundly affected many lives, and the aftermath is still uncertain. Many aspects of life have been affected, including physician assistant (PA) education. The collective efforts of students and faculty, perseverance, and optimism have allowed the uninterrupted preparation of the next generation of PAs. The objective of this study was to understand PA students' perceptions of the effectiveness of remote and/or virtual learning in preparing PA students for clinical rotations.

Methods: This pilot study was a mixed-methods survey with quantitative and qualitative data involving 3 accredited PA programs in the United States. Statistics were analyzed using SAS 9.4.

Results: Ninety-four individuals responded to the survey with a response rate of 46.8%. Response distributions, standard deviations, and means were calculated. Likert scale response means for each survey item were used to estimate the overall perspective of the participants.

Conclusion: Most participants highlighted the advantages of flexibility and an opportunity to balance school and family life, but the participants did not favor remote and/or virtual learning platforms for effectively preparing students for their clinical phase. More research on a larger scale is warranted. Including students' hands-on skills performance measures in addition to perceptions could provide objective evidence for the efficacy of remote and/or virtual learning in preparing students for clinical rotations.

Purpose: The purpose of this article was to explore student perspectives regarding effective preceptors with the intention to improve development of supervised clinical practice experiences.

Methods: In total, 136 clinical year physician assistant (PA) students, representing 9 accredited PA programs, participated in a mixed-methods survey, including a 5-point Likert scale to identify characteristics of an effective preceptor. The survey achieved a 36.2% response rate. Quantitative data were analyzed based on mean and standard deviation (SD) with the analysis of variance to promote generalizability. Thematic analysis was performed on qualitative responses.

Results: Students reported the highest level of agreement that an effective preceptor welcomes questions from the student (mean 4.88, SD 0.54), are enthusiastic about having a student (4.84, 0.52), and provide a welcoming support staff who encourages student education (4.71, 0.66). Students also highlighted the positive effect of preceptor engagement during clinical rotations.

Conclusion: A preceptor who actively engages their student has the greatest positive impact on clinical education. Preceptors can implement clinical teaching strategies from this article to improve student-perceived effectiveness of their rotation.

Introduction: Clinical ultrasound training is essential to any emergency medicine (EM) clinician's skill set. We aim to understand the current training patterns of clinical ultrasound training within Advanced Practice Provider (APP) residencies.

Methods: In a survey sent electronically to 17 active EM APP residencies, data were obtained from 21 responses to questions about structure of ultrasound faculty, quality assessment, feedback, and competency evaluation.

Results: We had a response rate of 88%. Of programs surveyed, 93% were associated with EM physician residencies with 87% led by an ultrasound fellowship-trained EM physician. Ninety-three percent of programs required proctored scanning. Sixty percent of programs do not have any required number of scans to graduate.

Conclusion: We found that most EM APP residencies share clinical ultrasound faculty, structures, and processes with associated EM physician residencies. We believe that quality training within clinical ultrasound is attainable; however, proficiency guidelines across EM APP residency programs are lacking.

Purpose: Overtesting, ordering diagnostic investigations that do not help diagnose or manage a patient, is well-recognized as a problem across multiple healthcare settings in developed countries. One of the reasons often cited for overtesting is a lack of confidence or knowledge, so this article addresses our attempt to reduce overtesting through an investigation-specific course for a physician associate (PA) program based in the United Kingdom. We found no evidence of pedagogical literature that focused on clinical diagnostics teaching and assessment for PAs, so we aim to be the first to provide this research.

Methods: To assess student confidence, student feedback was collected through open-ended focus groups and qualitative surveys. The effectiveness of the course was evaluated through students' scores on investigation single best answer assessments.

Results: Overall, qualitative feedback from students showed an increase in knowledge in accurate investigation requests and interpretation. Students' assessment scores show a marked improvement after the implementation of the course.

Conclusion: This approach to an investigation-specific course, with a focus on limiting overinvestigating, demonstrates improved student performance on investigation assessments at the university level.

Purpose: This study highlights trends in available physician assistant (PA) applicant and matriculant data over the first 15 years of the Central Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA) service (2002-2016). This study expands knowledge identified in the CASPA 10-year data report.

Methods: This was a retrospective analysis of CASPA data from all CASPA-participating PA programs between 2002 and 2016. Central Application Service for Physician Assistants staff verified all applicant academic information. In addition, beginning in 2007, the online CASPA admissions portal linked matriculant data with applicant data.

Results: During the first 15 years of the CASPA service, there was a 194% increase in the number of CASPA-participating programs (from 68 to 200) and a 409% increase in the number of total applicants. Several trends identified in the CASPA 10-year report persisted, including increasing grade point averages among applicants and matriculants and lower matriculation rates among underrepresented minority applicants and applicants who reported economic disadvantage.

Conclusion: This 15-year comprehensive analysis of the CASPA data will benefit the profession by providing historical information that faculty and policymakers can use as a basis for developing and evaluating future admissions policies and practices.